Recent advances in nanoencapsulation of phytochemicals to combat obesity and its comorbidities

Authors: GOKTAS, ZEYNEP - Hacettepe University; ZU, YUJIAO - Texas Tech University; ABBASI, MEHRNAZ - Texas Tech University; GALYEAN, SHANNON - Texas Tech University; WU, DAYONG - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University; FAN, ZHAOYANG - Texas Tech University; WANG, SHU - Texas Tech University

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/7/2020
Publication Date: 7/7/2020
Citation: Goktas, Z., Zu, Y., Abbasi, M., Galyean, S., Wu, D., Fan, Z., Wang, S. 2020. Recent advances in nanoencapsulation of phytochemicals to combat obesity and its comorbidities. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 68(31):8119-8131. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.0c00131.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.0c00131

Interpretive Summary: The obesity epidemic has become a serious public health concern primarily because it contributes to the development of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and biliary diseases, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disease, some types of cancer, among others. Consumption of a variety of chemical compounds found in plants, called phytochemicals, has emerged as a possible solution for reducing obesity and obesity related chronic diseases. However, the clinical applications of phytochemicals are limited by their generally low water solubility, stability, bioavailability, and target specificity, along with their side-effects and toxicity when used at high doses. As a solution, phytochemicals can be compressed into ultrafine particles and encased in a capsule to increase their stability and solubility, enhance their bioavailability, protect them from premature breakdown in the body, prolong their circulation time, and thus enhance their ability to combat obesity and obesity related illness. This summary describes the problems and limitations of the important phytochemicals (epigallocatechin gallate, trans-resveratrol, curcumin, and quercetin), the major biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticles, and the efficacy of nanoencapsulated phytochemicals to reduce obesity and obesity related chronic diseases.

Technical Abstract: An increasing epidemic of obesity has become a serious public health concern primarily because it contributes to pathogenesis of many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hepatobiliary disease, obstructive sleep apnea, kidney disease, some types of cancer, among others. Consumption of a variety of phytochemicals has emerged as a promising potential for combating obesity and its comorbidities. However, the generally low aqueous solubility, stability, bioavailability, and target specificity of phytochemicals, along with their side-effects and toxicity seen when used at high doses, have restricted their clinical applications. As a solution, phytochemicals can be encapsulated into nanoparticles to increase their stability and solubility, enhance their bioavailability, protect them from premature degradation in the body, prolong their circulation time, and thus enhance their antiobesity activity. In this perspective, we summarize the problems and limitations of the prominent phytochemicals (epigallocatechin gallate, trans-resveratrol, curcumin, and quercetin), the major biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticles, and the efficacy of nanoencapsulated forms of these phytochemicals in combating obesity and its comorbidities.